The Splinter in the Sky
Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Hardcover / Ebook
ISBN: 9781668008478
Gallery/Saga Press, July 2023, 384 pgs

Kemi Ashing-Giwa, whose shorter fictions have appeared on Tor.com, comes out with an intriguing and enthralling science fiction debut, The Splinter in the Sky. Described as a space opera novel, The Splinter in the Sky follows Enitan Ijebu, a scribe and tea expert who loses the two most important people to her—her part-time lover and her sibling—and becomes a spy to seek revenge and save her kidnapped sibling. The Splinter in the Sky is a novel filled with deceit, bigotry, and steadfast devotion.

We’re immediately dropped into strife after a war between the colonizing Holy Vaalbaran Empire and the Ominirish Republic. Despite the tension and killing, Enitan finds happiness and peace with her sibling, Xiang, and her on-and-off-again lover, Ajana. Though there’s only a tiny bit where we get to see Enitan enjoying what life she’s made in the shadow of the Empire, it’s still heartwarming and then sad when Ajana is killed and Xiang kidnapped.

My favorite aspects of the novel are how Ashing-Giwa explores and describes the cultural divides, setting, and bigotry in the world in a way that mimics much of what marginalized people from colonized cultures in the real-world face. Ashing-Giwa describes her world’s intricacies and history in a way that adds depth and complexity to the story and characters. Enitan’s struggle to not only hide her identity while also navigating the treacherous landscape of a racist society adds a burn of relatability with Enitan when she is spying against the Empire and their God-Emperor, Menkhet Ta-Miu.

My feeling of relating with Enitan didn’t just stop there. I love tea, especially tea blends and loose-leaf teas, and Enitan’s knowledge as a tea expert and hobbyist came through as a perfect thematic layer to the novel. Every time Enitan served tea, even to people she loathed, Ashing-Giwa made the descriptions match the scene’s emotions. Just getting some of those delicious details of the tea were great. There were more than a few moments while reading when I unsuccessfully fought the urge to make a pot of tea in the middle of the night.

The blend of worldbuilding, political intrigue, and complicated characters showcases Ashing-Giwa’s exceptional storytelling abilities. The Splinter in the Sky is a thought-provoking novel with layers of mystery and suspense that unfolds. Readers will be captivated by Ashing-Giwa’s evocative writing and rooting for Enitan as she fights to save her sibling, people, and herself.